Method for applying a coating material to the surface of foam cores

Abstract

The invention provides a method and apparatus to impart a coating layer on the surface of decorative mouldings that are widely used in the externally insulated finishing systems (EIFS) in the construction industry. The method is a sequence of mechanically advancing a core, constructed from pre-formed expanded polystyrene (EPS, in a straight horizontal plane through a coating chamber/hopper with templates conforming to the desired decorative profile. The apparatus is a rectangular box with a funneled opening at the top with adjustable internal plates to direct the material from the sides of the box toward the pre-formed core that is being coated. Two plates on the bottom of the box support the pre-formed core and are adjustable to leave an opening in the center so that excess material can fall through the bottom after coating the last core. The templates are designed to be interchangeable with other coating apparatus designed by the inventor to produce start strips, decorative mouldings, wall panel sections and columns commonly used in the construction industry.

1 . A method for applying a coating material to the surface of a plurality of elongated foam cores, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) continuously advancing said cores in a straight horizontal plane through a coating chamber;    (b) coating an edge in a portion of the top surface of said cores with said coating material;    (c) applying said coating material to the surface of said cores;    (d) advancing said cores to an input template;    (e) advancing said cores through an output template; and    (f) removing and drying said coated cores.    
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said coating material is selected from a group consisting of plaster, stucco or a cement-like mixture.  
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cores are decorative mouldings.  
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  including supporting said cores in said coating chamber vertically with ledges.  
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said ledges are adjustable to slide under the bottom sides of said cores by approximately one half an inch.  
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cores are advanced through an opening in said input template, said opening corresponding to the profile of said core.  
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cores are advanced through said output template conforming to the desired finished profile.  
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said input template and said output template are raised or lowered to vary the coating thickness as desired.  
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein baffle plates inside said coating chamber laterally funnel said coating material towards said core.  
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said core is advanced through a second output template having the identical profile as said first output template.  
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said second output template is adjusted to adjust the opening in said output template.  
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said coating material is scraped from the bottom edge of said cores thereby producing a clean edge at the corner between the bottom surface and the side surface of said cores.  
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cores are butted end to end.  
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said method is repeated to recoat said coated cores.  
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said input template and said output templates are adjusted to accommodate coated cores in said recoring step.